Victims, terrorists need to be told apart: Karzai

KABUL (PAN): Condemning Friday’s group suicide attack on a foreign restaurant in Kabul as a criminal act, President Hamid Karzai on Saturday said the war against terrorism could succeed only when victims and terrorists were told apart.

The coordinated suicide attack on the Lebanese restaurant in the Wazir Akbar Khan diplomatic district left 21 people --- 13 foreign nationals and eight Afghans --- dead.

President Karzai strongly condemned the attack in a statement issued from the Presidential Palace. “The fight against terrorism can succeed only when victims and terrorists are differentiated and causes of terrorism are addressed,” the statement quoted Karzai as saying.

The president called on NATO-led nations, particularly the US, to be cooperative and in unity with people of Afghanistan in targeting the terror.

He said the people of Afghanistan believed the US and Pakistan could assist Afghanistan in taking forward the peace process.

“Telling apart from supporters and opponents of peace in Afghanistan needs a clean politics and strategy.”

Karzai extended his deep condolences to the families of foreigners and Afghans killed in last night’s attack.